Salomon is the real deal. This French company makes some of the most technically-advanced trail running shoes, apparel, and packs in the world. If you want to go high science with your ultrarunning, Salomon is your brand of choice. Yes, that sounds like hyperbole, but it’s not. Salomon was the first outside brand we brought into the iRunFar store and we continue to carry Salomon goods with great enthusiasm. With this contest, you’ve got a chance to win a great prize pack from Salomon and the iRunFar store. Oh, and that’s not all. We’re including a sweet prize from another French technologie-centric company, performance sunglasses from Julbo.

Salomon is treating the winner of this contest right. He or she will get to choose from any of Salomon’s high tech trail runners. There’s the solid and stable XT Wings 2 in which I logged most of my miles last winter and spring and the legendary, ultra-grippy Speedcross 2 (iRF review). Salomon just launched the XR Crossmax, a door-to-trail shoe available in both a Neutral and Guidance version. The XR Crossmax Neutral are the shoes I transitioned to after the XT Wings. Then, there’s my favorite shoe in Salomon’s entire lineup – the S-Lab 3 XT Wings… or, as I call them, the S-Lab 3. The S-Lab 3s have a great, low-to-the-ground feel that’s awesome for burning up the trails. Once again, this is winner’s choice for a pair of shoes in the Salomon trail running shoe department!

Salomon makes some great trail running apparel. For the sake of gender equality, the winner of this contest will receive Salomon’s Trail Runner II Tech Tee (men’s& women’s) and Trail III Short (men’s & women’s). The Trail Runner II Tech Tee is a lightweight tech shirt with vented panels and two gel pockets, while the Trail III Short is a running short designed for the trails that includes a zipper pocket.

We’re also digging into the iRunFar store for two awesome supplemental items. First off, the winner will get to stay hydrated with the Salomon XT Advanced Skin S-Lab Set. This top of the line pack fits like a vest with a bevy of accoutrements. Next up, a pair of Salomon Exo IV Calves. The Exo IV Calf are the latest iteration of Salomon’s compression leg sleeves that I often wear on long runs are while racing.

Julbo makes technologically advanced sunglasses… and they have for well over a 100 years. Born as a provider of mountaineering eyewear, they now produce advanced eyewear for all outdoor activities, including a line of performance sunglasses that are perfect for trail running. Personally, I’m running an awful lot in the Julbo Trail photochromic model these days. The Trail fit’s comfortably and securely, while the anti-fog Zebra lenses quickly transition from high-contrast, moderate-transmission in low light under a canopy to much darker lenses when I come out into a clearing. The Trail vents well even on steep climbs. There’s also forthcoming Julbo Ultra. It’s not even on Julbo’s website yet and I don’t know if I can offer it… but that’s not going to stop me. The Ultra features full venting (to prevent lens fogging) and Zebra Light lenses, a high transmission version of the Zebra lens that expands its utility further into dusk and dawn. The winner will get to pick his or her fancy of Julbo’s performance model.

Finally, the winner will receive an iRunFar Headsweats hat to keep him or her comfortable and stylish year-round.

Here’s a bit more from Salomon (and Kilian Jornet) to get your fired up about you trail running!

How To Enter
CONTEST CLOSED 6 a.m. MDT Wednesday, May 4. Steve Pollihan of St. Louis, MO, you’ve won this fabulous prize package!

[Note: Styles and sizes are subject to availability. Fear not, the winner will be well taken care of!]